Definition: Services focused on the promotion or maintenance of good health
rather than the correction of poor health
An employee has a heart attack. Besides concern for the person
and the loss of productivity, you can't help but worry about your
insurance rates, especially with premiums already skyrocketing 15
percent a year or more. Prolonged illness is a nightmare for
employers and employees.
Having a healthier work force can reduce your insurance costs
while improving your company's productivity. A "nip it in the bud"
approach that targets high-risk employees can help them manage
chronic conditions--high cholesterol, hypertension and so
on--before they turn into bigger, costlier, problems. And with the
emphasis today on fitness and healthy habits, people are glad to
get some help in sticking to their resolutions to eat better and
exercise.
There are a number of ways you can help employees with a
corporate wellness program, including:
- Health club memberships. You can probably negotiate
discounts or even barter an even swap for memberships for employees
in local health clubs.
- Free screenings. If you have more than a few dozen
employees, local hospitals and health organizations will be happy
to come out and screen your employees for high blood pressure,
elevated cholesterol and other ailments.
- On-site health education. Health-conscious employees
will appreciate having a nurse or health counselor come in to give
occasional lunchtime presentations on smoking cessation, good
nutrition, managing stress, coping with alcohol abuse and other
health-related topics.
Of course, the biggest obstacle to making wellness programs work
is getting employees to participate. Some programs may be seen as
career-busters. Your employees may think "If I sign up for the
diabetes seminar, I'll get off the promotion route because you're
afraid my health won't withstand it." Employees may also be
discouraged to participate if a sign-up sheet for depression
assessment or HIV screening is posted where everyone can see.
To encourage participation, start by protecting your worker's
privacy. Make sure health information that can be linked to
specific employees can't be accessed by anyone in the company.
Sign-ups should be strictly confidential.
You might also think about offering incentives for signing up,
from decreasing employees' co-pays and offering extra time off to
giving gifts and bonuses. Start educating employees about how much
health care costs the company--a conversation that still isn't
making it out of most boardrooms--and send a message that you value
good health by creating a work environment that encourages it.